Bottle-washing machine.



3 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED NOV. 7. 1905.

J A PRINCE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV.29.1904.

N0. 803,850. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

J. A. PRINCE.

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 29; 1904.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

Wi'bz as sea fzzvenzor: MWM JoimA. B1226 PATBNTBD NOV. 7, 190 5.

J. A. PRINCE. BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.29.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

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John 14. Prince,

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Wilrzesses; MW

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 7, 1905.

Application filed November 29, 1904. $erial No. 284.753.

10 all; w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. PRINCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, Manhattan, county and State of New York, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for scrub hing, washing, and rinsing bottles in a quick and effective manner, the bottles being delivered by the machine thoroughly cleaned and ready for refilling.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bottle-washing machine; Fig. 1, a detail of the clutchoperating means; Fig. 2, a plan of the machine; Fig. 3, a detail of the rinsing mechanism; Fig. 4, a cross-section on line 4 4:, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged detail of one of the rinsing-nozzles; Fig. 6, a detail of the waterinlet pipe and cook; Fig. 7, a detail of the carriage and its operating mechanism, and Fig. 8 a detail of the feed-rollers and pressurerollers.

The letter (0 represents the frame of my improved bottle-washing machine. Across the inclined top a of this frame extend a pair of bearings b, in which are journaled a series of spaced parallel feed-rollers 6. These rollers are rotated simultaneously in the same direction from a power-shaft c by pulley c, belt 0 pulley c counter-shaft c, and beveled gearwheels 0" 6 The bottles A to be washed are seated upon each pair of adjoining rollers and are by them simultaneously rotated in the same direction.

In order to feed the bottles along the rollers b, there is provided between each pair of such rollers an endless feed-chain (Z, the chains passing over sprocket-wheels cZ 6Z2, mounted, respectively, on transverse shafts (Z d". The shaft (Z may be turned by a handle 6Z5, by

means of which forward movement is imparted to the upper runs of the chains (Z. To each of the chains (Z are attached a pair of bottom brushes (Z which are of a width to enter between the adjoining rollers 6 and push the bottles along the latter. To scrub the surface of the bottles, I provide an exterior cylindrical brush 6, that is journaled to lie transversely of rollers b and may be rotated from shaft 0 by pulley c, belt 0 and pulley 6 the belt 6 passing over idlers e The shaft 6 of brush 6 is journaled in a pair of oscillating levers e, fulcrumed at e to standards a of frame a. To levers e are pivoted at e lifters 6 having rollers 6 that engage eccentrics (Z of shaft (F. By this construction the brush 6 is gradually raised after having scrubbed the bottle-neck to accommodate the bottle-bod y, while the bottle is simultaneously fed underneath brush 6 by the bottom brush cl.

The bottles A are held to the feed-rollers?) by pressure-rollers f, Fig. 8, of which one is arranged vertically above each of the rollers Z). The rollersfare journaled in forks f, suspended by rods f and nuts f from a pair of fixed transverse rails f extending across rollers b and bolted to brackets of standards a at J. Springsf, encircling rodsf force rollersfagainst bottles A, so as to hold the latter in operative engagement with rollers 6.

Back of brush 6 and rollers b there recipro cates a carriage or cross-head g in which are rotatably fitted a series of sleeves 9', arranged in the paths of bottles A and having flaring ends 9 The carriage g is provided with rollers 9 traveling on rails a of frame a, and with a pair of rods g headed, as at g. The rods g pass through perforated blocks 72. of a pair of levers it, fast on rock-shaft 7L and manipulated by handle 7L3. Springs g encircle rods g between carriage g and levers h. At their upper ends the levers 7i form the bearings for the trunnions e" of a water-pipe d, which is thus carried along by the levers while free to rock in its bearings. The pipe e'receives water through hose i controlled by cock i which is operated in suitable manner. To the pipe 5 areconnected a series of nozzles e, adapted to be projected through sleeves g and into bottles A and to discharge the water into the interior of the latter through lateral perforations To the end of each nozzle 2 is fitted the stem of an interior brush j.

The inclined top a of frame a slopes abruptly at its rear end to form a number of inclined runs is between a series of inclined parallel rails Z}. By these runs the bottles are automatically conveyed to a feed mechanism that in turn carries them to rinsing-nozzles. These nozzles wash out the scrubbed bottle and complete the cleaning operation.

The feeding and rinsing mechanism, which is made the subject of a separate application for a patent, is constructed as follows: In the rear portion of frame a are journaled transendless parallel roller feed-chains n, the upper runs of which travel on rail (0 Fig. 3. The chains 7% are connected at suitable intervals by transverse perforated bars 0, in which are fitted a series of nozzles 0, having lower flaring ends 0 Fig. 5. Each longitudinal row of nozzles is arranged in alinement with one of the runs 71;, so that a bottle descending along the run will be speared upon that one of the nozzles which has arrived opposite the bottom of the run.

Intermittent movement is imparted to shaft m, and consequently to feed-chains 12 from counter-shaft p by crank and rod 19 pivoted to lever 9 This lever turns on shaft m and has a pawl p engaging a ratchet-wheel m fast on such shaft. Thus each revolution of shaft will turn wheel m for the length of one tooth and will correspondingly advance chain n and nozzles r).

The movement of chains n is controlled by a treadle by the depression of which the counter-shaft p is operatively connected to a driving-shaft 1, while the counter-shaft is automatically disconnected therefrom upon one complete rotation of the former. The means for effecting this result are as follows: Upon driving-shaft 2' turns loose driving-pulley 9"", that may be coupled thereto by clutch 0 This clutch is operated by a bent shipping-lever q, fulcrumed at g and connected by rod q to treadle (1, Fig. 1. The shaft 9* is intergeared with arbor s by wheels T38, while arbor s is operatively connected to shaft 19 by chain 8 passing over wheels 8 p" of like size. On arbor s is mounted a disk .9", having nose 8 adapted to engage a collar 9" of clutch o hen the treadle q is depressed, the shipping-lever q will move clutch o to the right, and thereby couple pulley to shaft 4. In this way motion will be transmitted from shaft 1 through wheels 2' s, arbor s, and chain 8 t0 shaft 1). On each complete rotation of shaft 8, and consequently of shaft 1), the nose 8 will open clutch o to arrest shaft 9', and thereby stop shaft 12.

The flaring lower ends 0 of nozzles 0 are adapted to receive tapering nipples 25, projecting upwardly from a pair of transverse water-supply pipes 6. These pipes are vertically movable so that when raised their nipples will project into two transverse rows of nozzles, while when the pipes are lowered their nipples will clear the nozzles and permit the chains to be moved. To alternately raise and lower the pipes t, there are mounted upon shaft 12 a pair of cams p, engaged by rollers 21' ,journaled in the lower forked ends of lifters 25'. These lifters are vertically movable in bearings t and carry brackets t, to which the pipes t are attached. Thus it will be seen that each rotation of shaftp will cause a complete reciprocating movement of pipes t.

The pipes at communicate with each other by branches 25 and one of the former receives rinsing-water by inlet-pipe a, which rises and falls with pipes t. The cook a of pipe at is automatically opened when pipes 25 are raised and closed when the pipes are lowered. To produce this result, a handle a of cock a passes through an eye in the lower end of a fixed arm a depending from frame a. When the pipe t, and consequently the pipe u, is raised, the engagement of handle a with arm a will open cock a, while upon a descent of the pipes the cock will be closed.

The machine is so adjusted that when at rest a transverse row of nozzles 0' stops directly beneath the row of runs 7c. The bottles are delivered upon the rollers 7), preferably from a soaking-tank, and are by them axially rotated. The handle (i is turned to advance bottom brushes (Z and cause them to push the bottles down along the rollers until they arrive beneath the rotating exterior brush 6. After the necks of the bottles have been scrubbed the brush a is raised by cam (Z to accommodate the body of the bottle, which is carried into the position shown in Fig. 1. The levers it are swung forward by handle 72. to advance carriage by springs g and cause the flaring ends of sleeves g to receive the heads of the bottles. The further forward movement of levers It carries the nozzles a" and brushes 7' through the sleeves into the interior of the bottles, after which the cock a1 is opened and handle if oscillated a few times to reciprocate the brushes 1' within the bottle, and thus wash and scrub their interior. During this manipulation the sleeves g are held against the bottles by the springs g hen the interior washing and scrubbing is finished, the levers it are swung into their extreme backward position. During the first portion of this movement the nozzles 21" and brushes 7' are withdrawn from the bottles, while the sleeves g remain in contact with the same. As soon as levers 7t strike heads 9 of rods g the sleeves. as well as the brushes, are moved backward and are withdrawn from the paths of the bottles. The handle (Z is now again manipulated to push the bottles along rollers bby brushes (Z so that the exterior surfaces and the bottoms of the bottles are scrubbed by brushes 6 and (Z WVhen the bottles arrive at runs In, they will tilt and slide down along the runs to be speared by a transverse row of nozzles 0. By depressing treadle q the feedchains n are advanced for a distance equal to the distance between a pair of adjoining bars 0. After this advance has taken place the chains will be automatically arrested by the operation of the clutch-opening nose Thus the successive depressions of treadle q will intermittently advance the bottles impailed upon nozzles 0. Each operation of treadle Q will also by cam 19 elevate pipes t and raise their nipplest into engagement with the flaring ends 0 of those two rows of nozzles 0 which are in vertical alinement with the nipples. The raising of pipes t will simulu. In this way jets of rinsing-water are squirted into the bottles to finish the washing operation. The clean bottles are carried by nozzles 0' over a conveyer o, upon which they drop, Fig. l, and which transports them to the bottling department or other destination desired.

What I claim is 1. A bottle-washing machine provided with rotatable feed-rollers, means for moving a bottle along the same, a fixed rail extending across the rollers, spring-influenced pressurerollers suspended from the rail in vertical alinement with the feed-rollers, and a brush journaled to lie transversely of the feed-rollers, substantially as specified. I

2. A bottle-Washing machine provided with a carriage, rods secured thereto, levers engaging the rods, a sleeve rotatably supported by the carriage, a pipe connected to the levers, a nozzle on the pipe, and a brush on the nozzle that passes into the sleeve, substantially as specified.

3. A bottle-washing machine provided with a carriage, headed rods secured thereto, perforated levers engaging the rods, springs mounted on the rods between carriage and levers, a sleeve supported by the carriage, a pipe connected to the levers, a nozzle on the pipe, and a brush on the nozzle that passes into the sleeve, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at New York city, (Manhattan,) New York, this 28th day of November, 35

JOHN A. PRINCE.

l/Vitnessesz WILLIAM SoHULz, FRANK v. BRIESEN. 

